ive stuffed up majory with taper due to stress from 6mlgs xanax down to 1.5 and

[[ge...]]

I dont know what to do....its taken 6 months of hard work to get from 6 mlgs of xanax down to 1.5 per day. I met my father for the first time in years recently and he was living in this decrepid environment that i couldnt take. i had to stay as i had no money and genuinely wanted to catch up with him....but the place was a mess....spiders everywhere etc ....i was in this caravan and i knew i wouldnt be able to sleep.....it took me straight back to 6 mlgs of xanax per day for the last week. He smokes dope so and thats his choice. What should i do....im not gonna have to take another 6 months to get back down to 1.5 mlgs ? Stress does trigger me...alot of stress. This has happened here and there occassionally. What should i do....?the 1.5 was going really well.....should i just re instate asap when im at home and in my normal environment....or should i slowly taper again?????

Gem!

[[Be...]]

This is a toughie, Gem.    It sounds like it is going to be more than a week that you will have been on 6mg/day before you get home, is that right?  I probably wouldn't immediately go back to 1.5mg but I'd do a fast taper there, as fast as I could stand. My reasoning is to not let my brain/body get used to that higher level.  And the sooner you can start back down the better.  How much longer do you expect to be visiting your father?  Could you start that quick taper - like drop to 4-5mg/day while you are still there?  That was an awfully big "bump" to go from 1.5 to 6mg.

[[ge...]]

yes i was very stressed.....the thing is this is becoming a sort of a pattern....as soon as im stressed im increase the dose ?? i dont know how im gonna really kick these pills i really want to.....but shit.....any stres i hve REALLY IS RELEIVED BY A PILL.....it literally takes that much xanax to slow me down.....i will taler quick again...thanks for your response !

Gem

[[Fl...]]

I know the pills relieve the stress but you know as well as anyone by now that they come with a price. I agree with Beeper....try to get yourself back on track by cutting back down as quickly as you can. You have come too far to let this thing get ahold of you again.

 

Best of luck.

[[Be...]]

yes i was very stressed.....the thing is this is becoming a sort of a pattern....as soon as im stressed im increase the dose ?? i dont know how im gonna really kick these pills i really want to.....but shit.....any stres i hve REALLY IS RELEIVED BY A PILL.....it literally takes that much xanax to slow me down.....i will taler quick again...thanks for your response !

Gem

 

I never increased my dose beyond what was prescribed but I did go repeatedly to my doc to get the script bumped up.  Started at .5mg/day and ended up at 3mg/day  For years it was so nice to just pop a pill whenver I got stressed out or severely anxious or couldn't get to sleep.  Actually, if it weren't for the side effects of regular use, I'd probably still be on them today.    After nearly 20 years of doing that, though, I was a real mess and knew it would be just more of the same down the road even if I could get another bump in the prescription.  I'm telling you all this to let you know that I was very much like you in my response to stress: take a pill.  When I decided to taper, I knew I and to develop skills for calming myself and alleviating stress.  I even went to counseling for about a year.  If you really want to get off, you can do it but it does take work.  Just in case some of what's posted here may be of help, here's a link to one of my favoirte threads on the Anxiety Board:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=13001.msg180729#msg180729

 

BTW, I had to practice my techniques - like controlled breathing - when I wasn't feeling especially stressed.  It really didn't work well to only do them when I was feeling stressed out.  At first it was hard to remember to practice what I didn't need at the moment but it paid off in the long run.

[[ge...]]

Thankyou both and bleep....yes you are right i have come too far to go back...i have returned home and have reduced my dose....it was hard and i became aggressive and hostile....but it feels good to know i can make progress too....thanks for your encouraging words

gem!